The Cincinnati Bengals' season opener is over four months away.
By then, coaches and fans may have a better handle on how the franchise did during the recent April 23-25, 2026 NFL Draft. Until then, there's naturally no shortage of prognosticators willing to assess how each team did on paper.
Games aren't decided on paper, but it surely is fine fodder to kick around on the Monday after the weekend's talent haul.
There's obviously a great deal of positivity over the acquisition of Dexter Lawrence, which took the place of the Bengals first-round pick. From there, the Bengals grade out anywhere from A to C, depending on your publication of choice.
Your 2026 picks are Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell in Round 2, Washington corner Tacario Davis in Round 3, Auburn center Connor Lew in Round 4, Georgia receiver Colbie Young in Round 4, Duke offensive lineman Brian Parker II in Round 6, Texas tight end Jack Endries in Round 7 and Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson in Round 7.
Sporting News factors the Lawrence move into the grade and says the following:
Howell and Davis upgrade the pass defense plenty with high energy. Lew can battle for a starting job at guard with immediate impact. Endries was a good value to add as a unique target for Joe Burrow.
Sharp Football Analysis says defensive end Howell will have the most impact, center Lew is the best value and cornerback Davis is the riskiest pick.
Davis is only considered a risk because 6-foot-4 defensive backs often don’t pan out, but he’s a ball hawk, and the value was reasonable in the late third round.
A to Z Sports grades former St. Xavier lineman Brian Parker II out of Duke the highest at A+. They grade receiver Colbie Young the lowest at C, but say he could prove people wrong.
If just one of Davis or Young hit and become meaningful contributors, this class has the potential to be one of the best Cincinnati has had this decade.
2026 NFL Draft grades are in 👀Any surprises? 🤔(h/t via @PFF) pic.twitter.com/CSriSaXqhC
NFL.com overall gives the Bengals a B. That is split as follows: Day 1 B, Day 2 A, Day 3 C+.
Lew is coming off an ACL injury, which is why he was still available in Round 4, but I expect him to be starting at center by 2027. Young's a big receiver who should compete for playing time in 2026. Picking Parker after Lew seemed a bit duplicative, although the Bengals apparently view Parker as someone who can play outside in addition to the interior spots, where he best projects. Endries isn't elite in any one area, but he was productive at Cal and Texas, giving the Bengals nice value in the seventh round.
Kiper graded a "C' for Cincinnati a year ago, so perhaps there is progress. Like many, he was surprised by the Dexter Lawrence move. From there, he states what many believe about their future.
The Bengals have to find a way to keep Joe Burrow happy and capitalize on the potent offense he leads. That means fielding a better defense; it's hard to win football games when the team is giving up a league-high 6.2 yards per play. Did the Bengals do enough? I'm not so sure.
On offense, Connor Lew might have been the top center if not for an ACL injury last season, and Brian Parker II in the sixth round represented a double-up at the position, since he's likely kicking inside in the pros. Ted Karras is 33, though, so the same logic I had on the Bears center selection applies here. Give Burrow a young center with a lot of upside. Lew has 25 starts of experience.
College Football Network gives the Bengals a C for 2026, but says center/guard Brian Parker II, out of Duke, is their best value. CFN questions drafting Auburn's Lew and Parker as they see both as centers. They see Georgia receiver Young as a reach, but Texas tight end Endries as a plus.
Howell should've been a first rounder. Centers Connor Lew and Brian Parker each went at least a round later than they should've, and tight end Jack Endries in the seventh round was ridiculous.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals draft grades after 2026 NFL Draft